3 Journalists Killed In Israeli Airstrike On Gaza

The Israeli military on Tuesday confirmed it conducted a targeted raid on Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, asserting that the facility was being used by Hamas as a command and control center. The operation, carried out at dawn, marked the end of a brief humanitarian pause which had allowed for the release of a US-Israeli hostage.

In a statement released via its official Telegram channel, the Israel Defense Forces claimed that “significant Hamas operatives” were embedded within the hospital complex, using it as a strategic hub for military activities.

Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip and is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, and other countries, reported that the strike killed a Palestinian journalist who had been previously injured in an Israeli attack last month.

The incident once again highlights the intensifying battle over narratives and military tactics in Gaza, where Israel accuses Hamas of systematically embedding its fighters and infrastructure in civilian sites, including medical facilities—a charge Hamas denies.

“The compound was used by the terrorists to plan and execute terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF (army) troops,” it said.

In a statement, Hamas said the strike killed a journalist and wounded a number of civilians.

“The Israeli army bombed the surgeries building at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis at dawn on Tuesday, killing journalist Hassan Aslih,” said Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal.

Aslih, the head of the Alam24 news outlet, had been receiving medical treatment at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital after sustaining injuries in an Israeli strike on April 7. According to reports, Aslih had been involved in the deadly Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, an attack that resulted in significant civilian casualties.

The Israeli military accused Aslih of crossing into Israeli territory and participating in the massacre carried out by Hamas. In response, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the airstrike that targeted the hospital, raising concerns over the safety of journalists in conflict zones.

Aslih had worked with several international media outlets until 2023, when his reputation became controversial following the publication of a photo by the pro-Israeli group HonestReporting. The photo showed Aslih being embraced by Yahya Sinwar, then the leader of Hamas, drawing criticism from pro-Israeli groups.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported that at least 178 journalists and media workers have been killed across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon since the onset of the conflict. This tragic toll underscores the growing risks faced by the press in the midst of escalating violence.

Israel had temporarily halted its military operations in Gaza to facilitate the release of Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old US-Israeli soldier who had been held hostage since October 2023. Alexander, who is believed to be the last remaining US citizen among those taken hostage, was freed on Monday, just ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Middle East.

Following a two-month ceasefire, Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza on March 18, 2025, marking a significant escalation in the conflict with Hamas, which had triggered the hostilities with its deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack, which left 1,218 people dead—predominantly civilians—was the deadliest such assault in Israel in years, according to an AFP tally based on official data.

In Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry reported that at least 2,749 people have been killed since Israel resumed its offensive, pushing the overall death toll since the war’s inception to a staggering 52,862.

Africa Today News, New York